Articles | Volume 21, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-2001-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-2001-2025
Research article
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17 Sep 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 17 Sep 2025

The historical representation and near-future (2050) projections of the Coral Sea current system in CMIP6 HighResMIP

Jodie A. Schlaefer, Clothilde Langlais, Severine Choukroun, Mathieu Mongin, and Mark E. Baird

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Cited articles

Bao, Q. and He, B.: CAS FGOALS-f3-H model output prepared for CMIP6 HighResMIP, Earth System Grid Federation, https://doi.org/10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.2041, 2019. 
Bennett, S., Wernberg, T., Connell, S. D., Hobday, A. J., Johnson, C. R., and Poloczanska, E. S.: The `Great Southern Reef': social, ecological and economic value of Australia's neglected kelp forests, Mar. Freshwater Res., 67, 47–56, https://doi.org/10.1071/MF15232, 2015. 
Benthuysen, J. A., Tonin, H., Brinkman, R., Herzfeld, M., and Steinberg, C.: Intrusive upwelling in the Central Great Barrier Reef, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 121, 8395–8416, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JC012294, 2016. 
Benthuysen, J. A., Oliver, E. C. J., Feng, M., and Marshall, A. G.: Extreme Marine Warming Across Tropical Australia During Austral Summer 2015–2016, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 123, 1301–1326, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC013326, 2018. 
Berkelmans, R., Weeks, S. J., and Steinberga, C. R.: Upwelling linked to warm summers and bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, Limnol. Oceanogr., 55, 2634–2644, https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2010.55.6.2634, 2010. 
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Co-editor-in-chief
This paper highlights the changes in ocean temperatures and currents that are likely to affect the Great Barrier Reef in coming decades - affecting an iconic and unique environment. It uses newly available high-resolution coupled climate model output to assess the ocean warming and analyses the causes and repercussions of such warming due to climate change.
Short summary
We examined projected changes in Coral Sea temperature and currents through to 2050 using high-resolution CMIP6 models. Surface warming deepened by 30 m per decade, reaching 400 m by 2050. There was sub-surface cooling between 400 and 600 m. North Vanuatu Jet and North Caledonian Jet transports weakened, and the South Caledonian Jet strengthened. These changes may influence western boundary currents and upwelling dynamics on the Great Barrier Reef.
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